For example, in personal computer communication, etc., in the case where user provides an access to data base to retrieve desired data, he carried out retrieval in a hierarchical manner. Namely, a predetermined menu picture is first transmitted from a center for providing information (hereinafter referred to as an information providing unit) to a user terminal equipment. Thus, user selects item relating to information to be retrieved from the menu picture. The information providing unit transmits a new menu picture to the user terminal equipment in accordance with the selection. The user further selects item relating to desired data from the new menu picture.
The user repeats, plural times, such select operations, thus making it possible to ultimately retrieve desired data.
As stated above, in the conventional system, even if access to the same data was provided in the past, access to desired information had to be provided by repeating, plural times, select operations in accordance with the similar procedure from the beginning every time. As a result, the operation was troublesome and inconvenient.
In addition, there were problems that overhead in point of time required for obtaining desired information is prolonged, and the rental fee for the telephone circuit and/or the data base, etc. become expensive.
This invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its object is to provide an information providing system and a user terminal capable of providing access to desired information more immediately.